Washington Park: Finally a Place for All

The Entrance Featuring Rookwood Tiles

      I first heard about a renovation of Washington Park in Over-the-Rhine while paying a visit to the Schickel Design Company in 2007 that faces the then dilapidated city park.  When the plans were released in 2010, I was excited about what the area was to become.  On Friday, July 6, 2012 the vision came to life with the opening of the city's latest reconstruction of Washington Park.

Hand-Painted Silk Flags
for the Park Opening

      The opening coincided with the city's hosting of the World Choir Games.  Hand-painted silk flags helped draw attention to the central feature, a historic American bandstand completely restored and modernized.  The banners displayed the works of local artists telling the story of a person or organization associated with the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood.  The flags remain in the park until September 2012.  

Topiary Park: Taking Columbus' City Parks to the Next Level

Topiary Park in Columbus, OH

      James T. Mason, an artist teaching at the Cultural Arts Center in Columbus, had a vision in the late 1980's to create a topiary park based on George Seurat's 7' x 10' painting of A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.

The Seurat Painting

The post-impressionist masterpiece is a familiar one permanently on display at the Art Institute of Chicago that took Seurat two years to complete.  

Some of the Early 1900’s Still Remain at Fern Bank Park

Grand Old Oak Trees Along the Promenade

      Our early spring has resulted in an instant flowering of trees and vegetation.  Earlier this month, I was on the city’s west side and ventured through Fern Bank Park, 63 acres sprawling along the Ohio River for more than a mile in Saylor Park.  The park is maintained by the city offering a mixture of old and new structures.  Many of the veteran trees were lost in a 1974 tornado, but the main promenade is still canopied with some of those massive oaks.  After the leaves are out, it’s truly a special place to watch the river traffic and passers by from the many benches along the river walk.

A View Showing the Old Docking Station
and Dexter Watching Roller Skaters

Get Ready for a BIG Year in Cincinnati

Barry Larkin

      Cincinnati is off to a great start in 2012.  The weather is mild, Lonely Planet has rated us #3 in U.S. destinations for the year, and Barry Larkin has been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame for induction on July 22.  It’s time that we tooted our horn and shared with everyone what’s been our secret for way too long.  

The World Choir Games

      Leading the way this year is the World Choir Games, or as most people will relate to…the Olympics of Choirs.  For the first time, the games are in North America and will take place

Two Parks Floating High Above the City

When Neil carries me around the house (mostly when it's time to go to bed at night), I get the sensation of floating through the air.  It's not the same feeling when Eric holds me.  It sometimes seems like he's going to drop me at any moment.  Oh, boy!  Luckily, I'm always one step ahead and prepared to be set free.

Bellevue Hill Park

The View of Downtown from Bellevue Hill Park

     Bellevue Hill Park, off of Ohio Avenue in University Heights near Clifton, offers arguably the finest view of the city from the Ohio side.  The photogenic panorama is not the only star of this city gem, however.  The striking pavilion structure is reminiscent of a later Eero Saarinen design, though actually conceived much earlier by architect R. Carl Freund who was the mastermind behind some of Cincinnati's most imaginative Park buildings.  Created from concrete forms, the canopies rise from the ground connecting to one another and casting a lacy shape over the walkway around the driveway.  Built in 1955, the building functioned as a bandstand and dancing area.  Now it's a peaceful escape from the sounds of the city while still feeling nestled within it.

The Pavilion with the Downtown Skyline Beyond

http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/cityparks/pages/-4530-/

Devou Park

A View of Cincinnati from the Drees Pavilion

      Devou Park in Covington, KY is located in the hills overlooking Cincinnati and Covington.  It affords the best view of both cities from the Kentucky side.  Once an estate, the park is now home to a golf course, bandshell, tennis, fishing, walking trails, and picnic facilities.  The Behringer-Crawford Museum is within the park and exhibits local history through the collections of a world traveler.  The Drees Pavilion was constructed in 2003 and offers an incredible facility and backdrop for weddings and special events.  It's a fabulous park no matter what your needs may be for a day.

The View of Cincinnati and Covington from Devou Park

http://www.devoupark.com

The Behringer-Crawford Museum

http://www.bcmuseum.org

There's a History Lesson at Tower Hill Park in Ft. Thomas, KY

I'm really in to protecting our house, especially at night.  Sometimes I stay downstairs and watch out the window 

Dexter on Duty

overlooking our driveway.  There is always something scurrying around.  If I could only unlock the door and get to them!  Instead, I just fall asleep and bat them around in my dreams.

Vintage Postcard of Soldier Drill

      We were looking for something new to explore when Eric thought of Tower Park in Ft. Thomas, KY.  Just across the river, we headed there on a Sunday afternoon.  The park is part of a U.S. military compound that still serves as a U.S. Army recruiting center and reserves base, as well as a V.A. Hospital.  

The 1890 Water Tower

Veterans' Memorial and Original Military Housing

      At the entrance stands a 90-foot functional water tower built in 1890 as a memorial to Spanish-American War veterans.  The two cannons are remnants of the war captured in the Havana Harbor.  Driving through, it's apparent that the park offers an abundance of recreational facilities.  There are several sporting fields and courts modified from the military operations there.  A mountain bike trail is unique and requires some experience due to the severity of the terrain.  In addition, there are picnic shelters and a new amphitheater being constructed.  On the property are military personnel homes now on the National Historic Register, many of which were sold to private owners in the transfer of property from the government.  At the end of Alexander Circle are the impressive former officers' homes and a view of the Ohio River valley.  Tower Hill Park is a walk (or drive) through the history of our area as well as an escape for future generations.

http://www.ftthomas.org/Recreation/TowerPark.html

The Butterflies of Brazil Flutter at Krohn Conservatory

I love nature!  That's why it's important to me that I get out and walk about each day.  I can't wait for our garden to start blooming and attract my butterfly friends.

     Tropical butterflies have emerged for the 16th annual show at the Krohn Conservatory in Eden Park.  This year the elusive insects come to us from Brazil, the "greenest" country on earth, and this is a theme that is emphasized in the exhibit.

      Guests are routed through the Desert House and Orchid Room, passing by the Butterfly Nursery where they hatch and unfold before being released in the Showroom.  The tour continues through the Bonsai Gallery with photographs and collections from Brazil, and an education area for kids to create art from recycled materials. From there, enter the Butterfly Showroom where the fragile creatures flutter and entertain.  The setting is tropical, and while it is not one of Krohn's finest displays, it's not important as the butterflies are the center of attention.  Plan to linger for a while and examine closely those camouflaged in the foliage and snacking on oranges.  There's more sights and sounds from the Brazilian Carnival in the Sambadrome as you leave the butterflies behind.  

Ault-imate Park Elegance

Where's Dexter?

I love slithering around through the spring flowers and then hiding for a while.  Sometimes the air makes me sneeze and I scare all the squirrels and birds away.  They're funny.  They just wait a bit and come right back.  Little do they know that I'll still be there. 

      It was a good week for exploring the parks around the city.  We decided to visit Ault Park in Mt. Lookout, celebrating its 100th Anniversary this year.  It was perfect timing with everything in bloom.  Ault Park is home to several varieties of magnolia trees with blankets of daffodils underneath their boughs.  We took a walk along the pathway of themed gardens (cared for by various organizations) that were just beginning to green up and show some color.  

It's a grand park featuring an elegant stone pavilion with a tiered waterfall and lookout points.  Throughout the summer months, the park hosts everything from the Concours d'Elegance Car Show to private parties and events.  "Dances in the Park" offers free entertainment for all ages from local bands. There are picnic grounds and walking trails.  More than enough for anyone in the area to explore and enjoy.

http://www.aultparkac.org/index.php